Toyota Tsusho Corporation ("Toyota Tsusho") announced today that it formed a capital and business tie-up in March 2022 with Rera Tech Inc. ("Rera Tech"), a company that provides wind research assessment and consulting services for wind firm projects, with the goal of creating a renewable energy value chain.

The Japanese government has announced that it will aim to reduce greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions by 46% compared to 2013 by 2030 and realize carbon neutrality by 2050. Offshore wind energy is positioned as a trump card for the promotion of renewable energy, with a goal of introducing 10 gigawatts by 2030 and 90 gigawatts by 2050.

In the development of wind power generation, it is critical to perform wind resource assessment in order to accurately understand the wind condition and evaluate its business feasibility and safety. Offshore wind speed, in particular, is higher and more efficient for power generation than onshore wind, which has led to the planning of large-scale development, making wind resource assessment even more important.

Rera Tech is a start-up company from Kobe University that possesses advanced wind measurement and analysis technology for offshore wind power. It has been developing its wind resource assessment and related consulting services since it was established.

Toyota Tsusho has been selling Doppler LiDAR systems (remote sensing instrument for wind condition survey) and the fuel cells used to supply power to these devices in areas with no power supply for the primary purpose of wind measurement for wind power generation. Through this tie-up with Rera Tech, Toyota Tsusho will contribute to the growth of the offshore wind power market, where demand is expected to expand going forward. In addition, in the field of wind power generation which has a broad industrial scope, Toyota Tsusho will build a renewable energy value chain, including equipment sales as well as the consulting business for wind condition measurement and analysis, and aim to become a solution provider that supports offshore wind energy.

The Toyota Tsusho Group will continue to contribute toward the transition to a carbon neutral society by accelerating businesses contributing to the reduction of GHG through the industrial life cycle and promoting initiatives toward carbon neutrality, so as to pass on a better global environment to the children of the future.